


What's Wrong with Me?

by Serpentress



Category: Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Explicit Language, F/M, Mentions of Suicide, Mentions of self-harm, Older Veronica, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-10
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-12 11:10:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11160657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Serpentress/pseuds/Serpentress
Summary: JD is a miserable teenager. Veronica Sawyer is the school's newest therapist. A bond is formed.





	1. Chapter 1

Veronica Sawyer did not have a clipboard. That was the first thing JD noticed about her. The second was that she didn’t smile. God, he was relived; they always smiled and he always hated it because they seemed so _fake_.

Maybe this therapist would be different; she was pretty and older than him, which could be good or bad depending on how optimistic he felt in this moment. Sadly he was a proud pessimist and thus did not have high hopes for their session.

Holding his book like a shield, he calmly stated, “I didn’t come here to hear how great life is.”

Because it wasn’t, and JD hated when people lied.

The woman ran a hand through her unruly hair, gentle, doe-like eye boring into him. She had seen his record, obviously: he was a bad boy and didn’t deserve to be treated like anything above trash.

Much to his surprise, she extended her hand. “You can call me to Veronica. Can I call you JD? It suits you _much_ better than Jason Dean.” Her red, cherry tinted lips curled when she spoke, causing a flutter in JD’s gut.

He swallowed thickly and rolled his shoulders. “Sure.”

She smiled warmly and gestured to the couch. It was the typical come-cry-on-me couch; big, scratchy cushions probably stained with some angst ridden teenagers tears. He remembered perching on the arm, staring at the old school therapist. The poor lady had quit the next week. He went and lounged on it now.

“I came here to chill out,” He announced, not caring that he sounded like a royal brat. Fuck her if she couldn’t take a harsh tone.

Veronica shrugged, still smiling, still gentle. “That’s okay. I’m being paid to keep you from killing yourself, not to tutor you so you get A’s in every class. Whatever works for you is _fine._ You can read in here any time you want. Just don't smoke in here alright? I'm trying to quit.”

Shit, she was cool. JD hated himself for liking her. He didn’t have friends and did not particularly want any. Loneliness was better than the pain of a hurt face when he had to leave.

He bit his lip to keep the tears in and peeked over the top of his novel to see if Veronica had seen. She was sitting on her chair, hunched over as she typed on a black laptop that had a sticker of a cat stuck to it. Veronica’s calm face was illuminated by the screen.

JD sighed with relief as the pressure left his chest and he leaned back, soon becoming lost in the words of a world that didn’t cause him pain.


	2. Chapter 2

JD started hanging out in that room-on that couch and sometimes in the corner-religiously. Sometimes he had a book and sometimes he just sat there, staring at Veronica’s face while she worked. He mapped out every pore and every pimple, each of her features melding together to become a constellation of cute little imperfections.

“JD? What are you doing?” He was startled back into reality by her voice, sharp with mirth. She raised a brow at his guilty flush and he buried his face in the nearest magazine, wincing when it turned out to be a catalog for gardening supplies.

“Planning on doing some planting?” Veronica chuckled. 

“Hey, this is the best time of the year for pumpkins,” He shot back.

"I dunno, it doesn't really fit with your whole tough guy vibe. But you do you, JD." She smiled mischievously and went back to typing.

That was the only sound for some time, until the door open with a startling bang.

 Kurt and Ram walked in, spotted JD and sneered. “I didn’t know the _fag_ would be here.”

Slowly, Veronica closed the lid of her laptop.

                                                                                                             **~~~**

“I beg your pardon?” She asked with a snap in her voice. “You do know that's not a nice word, right? What did JD do to piss you guys off?”

JD sat on the couch, tenser then a rabbit cornered by wolves. He was baring his teeth. It hurt her heart to see him so defensive, when they had been doing so well at chipping his walls down. She had never planned on changing any lives, but saving them was definitely on her to-do list.

She eyed the two football players warily. “Listen, whatever it is, how about you two just apologize. Then we can let bygones be bygones and let this all pass.”

They exchanged a look.

“Sor- _ry_ ,” Ram muttered, before hissing, “ _Ass.”_

Veronica rubbed her head, trying to stave off the headache slowly pounding her brain. Why and she chosen a job that involved teens again?

JD walked over to stand next to Veronica, his eyes burning with a dark hatred. Veronica crossed her arms, frowning at the cruelty she saw in his gaze before turning back to the two bullies. “Listen, you came here for a reason, right? What did you need?”

Kurt smirked. His eyes raked over her body, taking in her baggy dress, torn socks and raggedy scarf. She suddenly felt self-conscious, and memories she would have preferred to stay buried resurfaced with even more malice.

"Coach asked us to let you know they were having some kind of meeting today. Anti-drugs or some crap? Who knows." The boy slung his arm around Ram's shoulders. 

Noticing the woman’s discomfort, JD stepped forward. “Why don’t you both go crawl back into whatever hole you slithered out of and leave us alone? You've delivered the message."

Both their faces were contorted with fury, and Kurt took a step forward. Ram laid a hand on his arm, eyes sparkling with something unusual for the boy: An idea. 

He walked forward, grabbed the darkly clothed boy in a "playful" headlock. "Hey, no need for mean words! We're all friends here, right?"

JD snarled silently, his lips pulling back as he raised a foot to kick. 

Yeah, that probably wouldn't be good for her job. Veronica decided to slap on the temporary title of peacemaker and hastened forward. Before she could get there, Ram had retreated with Kurt out the door. Sighing, the woman went to help JD stand back up instead.

"You okay?” She murmured, raising a hesitant hand. She didn’t want to touch him for fear of startling the boy, but to her surprise he grabbed her hand and pressed it to his cheek.

“I have a feeling something bad is going to happen,” He whispered. “Watch yourself but don’t worry too much; I’ll protect you.”

Veronica sighed, warmed by his words yet worried by them at the same time. JD's tone...bordered on something she didn't want to think about. Possessiveness? Maybe he was more fucked up then it appeared. “If they bother you again, just tell me. Never forget that you are not alone, ok?”

She pulled her hand from his and went back to her desk, leaving JD to his thoughts as she drowned in her own.

**Author's Note:**

> God, I hope the characters right. They're all so complicated...but I love 'em.


End file.
